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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 8457266" data-attributes="member: 27780">Polyhedron Issue 78: December 1992part 5/5Into The Dark: James gets meta again, with a round of films where other films within them play important parts. Whether they actually have characters step out of the screen, or what they're watching merely messes with their minds, this is a fairly effective way to blur the boundaries between reality & fiction and unsettle the viewer, particularly when watching in 3d. There's plenty of different variants of this idea to explore.The Purple Rose of Cairo has Woody Allen spice up his usual rom-com plot by having the handsome leading man step out from the movie screen, leaving his role empty and the rest of the characters thoroughly confused, while Mia Farrow has to take care of him in the "real" world. What happens when the character meets the actor who plays him, and how will she deal with her romantic feelings for them both? The ending isn't particularly satisfying, but that's what happens when you choose reality over fantasy. Demons is your typical video nasty, only the monsters on the cinema screen escape and start infecting the people watching, turning into a cascade spawn of gruesome transformations, that as usual would be a lot shorter if people would spend a little less time screaming and standing around like idiots. The effects are decent, but the plot and characterisation is paper thin, so you won't be particularly upset to see the people die.  Demons 2 is the churned out sequel. The acting is a little better, but the plot is even more recycled and derivative, openly stealing whole sequences from other better horror films. Further instalments tried for more originality, but failed messily, getting released under multiple names and being increasingly difficult to find.Videodrome, on the other hand, has no trouble being found and remembered, although the faint of stomach may not want to do so. The trappings of the corruptive reality warping power of TV may seem a little dated now, but they could be applied just as easily to the internet. The degree to which it maddens you might seem a little quaint to long-term 4chan denizens though. I guess it's the same kind of problem reading lovecraftian works now. Too many deconstructions and parodies, you get to the point where you can't play it straight any more and take it seriously. The Video Dead is just your basic low budget direct to video flick, only the zombies come out of the TV. Slow, tedious, and not particularly coherent, this is just filler to round out the column's word count, and one to avoid.Feats of Valor: We finish off with a lighthearted bit of gaming advice that reminds you that even in a hack and slash game, a little roleplaying can really help your survivability. Knowing when to look intimidating and when to look weaker than you are can make the difference between the enemy fleeing or surrendering and fighting to the death. Once you have got a few kills under your belt, a public display of dismembered body parts on a pike is an excellent way to spread your reputation faster and ensure you can charge more for future jobs. Large parties are better than small ones, even if you have to use a little social engineering to get reluctant people to join up. A good mount or pet is worth several people at low levels in both combat capability and increasing your memorability. All pleasingly old-school stuff that reminds you that the rules are not the entirely of your existence and effectiveness in an RPG, and thinking outside the box will really help you live long enough to get to higher levels. Even in tournament railroads, clever use of the equipment you've been given can be the difference between life and death. Don't leave your fate entirely in the hands of the combat dice rolls.Bloodmoose & Company find the adventurer lifestyle of seeking fortune via hired violence doesn't work too well in the technologically advanced future.Another issue that it's definitely a relief to finish, due to the heavy packing of fluffy cheesiness that's been casting a shadow over the entire year. Not an era I have any desire to revisit now it's over. Let's head to the next year, and see if the prospect of an election gets them to be a little more focused and serious.</blockquote>

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